Rhythm Practice Ideas for Everyone

Be creative. Once you are comfortable with a pattern, improvise your own melodies based on those rhythms. Have fun in your practice.

Play the patterns with other musicians. You can play the same pattern, or different patterns at the same time.

Rhythm Practice Ideas for Beginners

Avoid skipping steps. Start at the beginning and make sure that you understand all of the fundamental definitions and concepts. Read the introduction and practice tips to each lesson before practicing the patterns in that lesson.

Always count. One of the most important keys to successful rhythm performance is to count the beat and its subdivisions.

Rhythm Practice Ideas for More Advanced Students

Practice two or more patterns at the same time. It is a skill that all drummers have to develop, but it is beneficial for all musicians. You can tap two different patterns with each hand, or clap one pattern and tap another one with your foot. You can also play different patterns with different fingers on a keyboard. It is helpful to have the book for this approach to practicing.

Improve Your Sight Reading Skills

Practicing these patterns is a great way to improve your sight reading. If you practice the patterns frequently and make them effortless and accurate, your sight reading will automatically improve. The patterns consist of common rhythm groupings that occur often in many different styles of music. By practicing the rhythms in each lesson you will learn to identify common patterns and play them accurately at sight.

Another way to improve your sight reading skills is to turn on your metronome and jump right in to the patterns that focus on the skill you are trying to improve. Keep your eyes moving across the page, always looking ahead to the next beat. Unlike the other approaches to learning these rhythms, it is helpful to set the metronome at a fast tempo to challenge yourself to think and respond quickly. It is helpful to have the book for this type of practice.

Get the Book

Fundamentals of Rhythm book

If you would like all of this information in book format so that you can put it on your music stand and practice it wherever you go, get The Fundamentals of Rhythm, by Kyle Coughlin. The book includes all of the lesson information and practice exercises found on the website.